Coca-Cola stock downgraded to neutral from buy at UBS

The Coca-Cola Co. said Thursday it is extending a loan to Dutch recycling company Ioniqa Technologies to help it transform hard-to-recycle plastic waste into high-quality, food grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that can be used in bottles. Terms or the size of the deal were not disclosed, but it's part of the beverage giant's plan to move to packaging made of at least 50% recycled material by 2030. "The new technology supports the circular economy for plastics by allowing packages such as colored PET bottles that may have been excluded from certain recycling streams to be recycled into food-grade quality packaging," the company said in a statement. Ioniqa is a spinoff from the Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands), that specializes in using its proprietary technology to work with plastics. Coca-Cola shares were slightly lower premarket, but have gained 7% in 2018, while the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average , which counts Coke as a member, have fallen 0.8%.

Coca-Cola Co. said Thursday Chairman Muhtar Kent plans to retire in April, after about 10 years in the role. Kent also served as chief executive officer of the Coke parent from 2009 to 2017, when he was succeeded by current CEO James Quincey in May 2017. The beverage giant said Quincey has been elected to become chairman after the company's annual meeting in April 2019. The stock fell 1.7% in morning trade. It has gained 6.2% year to date, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 1.9%.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.LN) said Thursday it is considering a potential merger of its majority-owned Indian subsidiary, but cautioned that there's no certainty any deal will be struck. Any such merger is likely to be related to the sale of Glaxo's nutrition business, which makes the vast majority of its revenue in India through the subsidiary, called GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd.

Unilever PLC is in talks to acquire GlaxoSmithKline PLC's nutrition business, people familiar with the matter said, a deal that would hand the consumer-goods giant one of India's best-known brands. If finalized, a deal would end a monthslong auction process that also drew interest from Nestle SA and Coca-Cola Co., who were all eager to bolster their presence in one of the world's most promising consumer markets.

Nike Inc. is opening is latest retail experience, Nike NYC, on Thursday on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. The shop offers benefits and features like the Speed Shop, which offers locals swift access to popular items and the ability to pick up items that NikePlus members reserve on the Nike app, personal service in the Nike Expert Studio, and a customized visit based on app in-store features. On Tuesday, Nike announced that Craig Williams has been named president of the Jordan brand. Williams joins from Coca-Cola Co. where he was senior vice president and president of the McDonald's division where he was responsible for growing the strategic partnership with the fast-food giant . He succeeds Larry Miller, who will become chairman of the new Jordan brand advisory board. Nike shares have gained 17.7% for the year so far while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 1% for the period.

Amazon.com has trained people to buy everything online. Now it is having second thoughts about some of those sales because they don’t make money—and is pushing big brands to change how they use its site.

Facing a consumer backlash and stricter regulation, companies are trying to do what’s eluded them for years: make a better bottle. Evian has pledged to make all its bottles 100% recycled plastic. Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and other makers are adding products and trying new strategies.

24/7 Wall St. screened the Merrill Lynch research database looking for good ideas for worried investors, with a focus on stocks that should perform even if the economy slides into recession and that paid a solid and dependable dividend.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Full-Court Finance podcast from Zacks Investment Research where Associate Stock Strategist Ben Rains breaks down what Farfetch's (FTCH) acquisition of sneaker startup Stadium Goods means for sports retail. The episode also dives into how giants like Nike (NKE) have adapted with the times to become even more powerful.

Amazon.com has trained people to buy everything online. Now it is having second thoughts about some of those sales because they don’t make money—and is pushing big brands to change how they use its site.

The futures traded slightly higher Thursday morning as the markets digested yesterday's upside move. Positive talk on trade and some more benign inflation data were seen as the key reasons for the rally. Unfortunately, investors have to keep in mind that there has been less upside from buying immediately after the big market sell-offs than [ ]

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